The Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard are at a turning point this offseason. The franchise has not gone far in the playoffs in the last few seasons, despite having Damian Lillard in his prime. It would be hard to fault Lillard if he were to request a trade somewhere else.
A franchise where Damian Lillard could compete for a championship is the Los Angeles Lakers. While the Brooklyn Nets would likely be the favorites to win the championship going into next season, if Lillard was on the Lakers, they would be at a similar level in terms of star power. Here’s a trade package that would potentially get Lillard on the Lakers:
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Kyle Kuzma, Talen Horton-Tucker, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso (Sign and Trade), No. 22 Pick
The Portland Trail Blazers Get A Huge Package
If the Portland Trail Blazers want to rebuild, then they will need a lot of assets. While this package doesn’t get them a huge number of future picks, it does feature some solid young players, along with veterans that they could reroute later to other teams to get more assets for the future.
Kyle Kuzma and Talen Horton-Tucker are in the same boat: they are both young players who have faced limited usage on a team full of offensive options. Kyle Kuzma has already had good scoring seasons, so if he rediscovers that scoring touch while maintaining his improved defense, he could become a very good forward with more usage. Talen Horton-Tucker is a combo guard that can play either position, and the flashes of talent he has shown are very enticing. An executive has even suggested that Horton-Tucker warrants a max contract.
Montrezl Harrell, Alex Caruso, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are solid veterans. Montrezl Harrell would be a great spark plug scorer off the bench, and his energy in rebounding and scoring is well known. Alex Caruso is a defensive guard who can space the floor (40.1% from 3PT range) although he isn’t necessarily a volume shooter. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a great 3 and D wing, and he can potentially guard 1-3 on the court. While these players don’t figure into the long-term future for Portland, they can always be traded, and there will likely be interest in them for their abilities. With the No. 22 pick as well, this is an overall solid package for the Trail Blazers.
The Los Angeles Lakers Create A Big Three
The Los Angeles Lakers would benefit immensely from Damian Lillard joining forces with Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Lillard would fill a lot of the Lakers’ needs on the offensive end. He is a capable scorer, and he would provide a much-needed threat on the perimeter. Lillard would be able to take some of the offensive load off of Anthony Davis as well, allowing for better performance on the defensive end.
There is no question that a big three of Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James would have enough to win the NBA title. Adding Lillard’s ability to be a dynamic shot creator would give the Los Angeles Lakers’ offense a new edge. We saw the Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round due to their lack of offense without LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Damian Lillard would definitely help with that, and he could be a great ballhandler for when LeBron James needs rest.Â
The Los Angeles Lakers would be a good destination in Damian Lillard’s end as well, as he would be able to compete for a championship while also being in one of the most storied franchises in the NBA. He has a good relationship with LeBron James as well. While we don’t know if Damian Lillard will even end up leaving the Portland Trail Blazers, it seems like the Lakers could be a good fit if he does decide to go that route.
